OF TITHES, CHURCH-FEES, AND CHURCH-REVENUES; AND WHETHER ANY
MAINTENANCE OF MINISTERS CAN BE SETTLED BY LAW.

[FIRST PUBLISHED 1659.]

TO THE PARLIAMENT OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF ENGLAND, WITH THE DOMINIONS THEREOF.

OWING to your protection, Supreme Senate! this liberty
of writing, which I have used these eighteen years on
all occasions to assert the best rights and freedoms both
of church and state, and so far approved, as to have
been trusted with the representment and defence of
your actions to all christendom against an adversary
fno mean repute; to whom should I address what I
publish on the same argument, but to you, whose
agnanimous councils first opened and unbound the
ge from a double bondage under prelatical and regal
granny; above our own hopes heartening us to look
pat last like men and Christians from the slavish de-
ection, wherein from father to son we were bred up
and taught; and thereby deserving of these nations, if
be not barbarously ingrateful, to be acknowledged,
ext under God, the authors and best patrons of reli-
s and civil liberty, that ever these islands brought
th? The care and tuition of whose peace and safety,
ter a short but scandalous night of interruption, is
w again, by a new dawning of God's miraculous
ovidence among us, revolved upon your shoulders.
ad to whom more appertain these considerations,
hich I propound, than to yourselves, and the debate
efore you, though I trust of no difficulty, yet at pre-
t of great expectation, not whether ye will gratify,
Here it no more than so, but whether ye will hearken
the just petition of many thousands best affected
t to religion and to this your return, or whether ye
will satisfy, which you never can, the covetous pre-
ences and demands of insatiable hirelings, whose dis-
affection ye
well know both to yourselves and your
solutions? That I, though among many others in
this common concernment, interpose to your delibera-
as what my thoughts also are; your own judgment
and the success thereof hath given me the confidence:
requests but this, that if I have prosperously,
and so favouring me, defended the public cause of this
ommonwealth to foreigners, ye would not think the

reason and ability, whereon ye trusted once (and repent
not) your whole reputation to the world, either grown
less by more maturity and longer study, or less avail-
able in English than in another tongue: but that if it
sufficed some years past to convince and satisfy the
unengaged of other nations in the justice of your do-
ings, though then held paradoxal, it may as well suffice
now against weaker opposition in matters, except here
in England with a spirituality of men devoted to their
temporal gain, of no controversy else among protest-
ants. Neither do I doubt, seeing daily the acceptance
which they find who in their petitions venture to bring
advice also, and new models of a commonwealth, but
that you will interpret it much more the duty of a
Christian to offer what his conscience persuades him
may be of moment to the freedom and better constitut-
ing of the church: since it is a deed of highest charity
to help undeceive the people, and a work worthiest
your authority, in all things else authors, assertors, and
now recoverers of our liberty, to deliver us, the only
people of all protestants left still undelivered, from the
oppressions of a simonious decimating clergy, who
shame not, against the judgment and practice of all other
churches reformed, to maintain, though very weakly,
their popish and oft refuted positions; not in a point
of conscience wherein they might be blameless, but in
a point of covetousness and unjust claim to other men's
goods; a contention foul and odious in any man, but
most of all in ministers of the gospel, in whom conten-
tion, though for their own right, scarce is allowable.
Till which grievances be removed, and religion set
free from the monopoly of hirelings, I dare affirm, that
no model whatsoever of a commonwealth will prove
successful or undisturbed; and so persuaded, implore
divine assistance on your pious counsels and proceed-
ings to unanimity in this and all other truth.

which

JOHN MILTON.

1

CONSIDERATIONS

TOUCHING THE LIKELIEST MEANS

TO REMOVE HIRELINGS OUT OF THE CHURCH.

having left all things in his church to charity and christian freedom, he hath given them only what is justly given them. That, as well under the gospel, as under the law, say our English divines, and they only of all protestants, is tithes; and they say true, if any man be so minded to give them of his own the tenth or twentieth; but that the law therefore of tithes is in force under the gospel, all other protestant divines, though equally concerned, yet constantly deny. For although hire to the labourer be of moral and perpetual right, yet that special kind of hire, the tenth, can be of no right or necessity, but to that special labour for which God ordained it. That special labour was the levitical and ceremonial service of the tabernacle, Numb. xviii. 21, 31, which is now abolished: the right therefore of that special hire must needs be withal abolished, as being also ceremonial. That tithes were ceremonial, is plain, not being given to the Levites till they had been first offered a heave-offering to the Lord, ver. 24, 28. He then who by that law brings tithes into the gospel, of necessity brings in withal a sacrifice, and an altar; without which tithes by that law were unsanctified and polluted, ver. 32, and therefore never thought on in the first christian times, till ceremonies, altars, and oblations, by an ancienter corruption, were brought back long before. And yet the Jews, ever since their temple was destroyed, though they have rabbies and teachers of their law, yet pay no tithes, as having no Levites to whom, no temple where, to pay them, no altar whereon to hallow them: which argues that the Jews themselves never thought tithes moral, but ceremonial only. That Christians therefore should take them up, when Jews have laid them down, must needs be very absurd and preposterous. Next, it is as clear in the same chapter, that the priests and Levites had not tithes for their labour only in the tabernacle, but in regard they were to have no other part nor inheritance in the land, ver. 20, 24, and by that means for a tenth, lost a twelfth. But our Levites undergoing no such law of deprivement, can have no right to any such compensation: nay, if by this law they will have tithes, can have no inheritance of land, but forfeit what they have. Besides this, tithes were of two sorts, those of every year, and those of every third year: of the former, every ne that brought his hes, was to eat kis share: Deut. xiv. 23, "Thou shalt eat before the Lord thy God, in the place which he shall choose to place his name there, the tithe of thy corn, of thy wine, and of thine oil," &c. Nay, though he could not bring his tithe in kind, by reason of his distant dwelling from the tabernacle or temple, but was thereby forced to turn it into money, he was to bestow that money on whatsoever pleased him, oxen, sheep, wine, or strong drink; and to eat and drink thereof there before the Lord, both he and his houshold, ver. 24, 25, 26. As for tithes of every third year, they were not given only to the Levite, but to the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, ver. 28, 29, and chap. xxvi. 12, 13. So that ours, if they will have tithes, must admit of these sharers with them. Nay, these tithes were not paid in at all to the Levite, but the Levite himself was to

and

into the church." Which the event soon after verified,
as appears by another no less ancient observation,
"That religion brought forth wealth, and the daughter
devoured the mother." But long ere wealth came into
the church, so soon as any gain appeared in religion,
hirelings were apparent; drawn in long before by the
very scent thereof.
Judas therefore, the first hire-
ling, for want of present hire answerable to his covet-
ing, from the small number or the meanness of such
as then were the religious, sold the religion itself
with the founder thereof, his master. Simon Magus
the next, in hope only that preaching and the gifts of
the Holy Ghost would prove gainful, offered before-
hand a sum of money to obtain them. Not long after,
as the apostle foretold, hirelings like wolves came in by
herds: Acts xx. 29, "For I know this, that after my
departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you,
not sparing the flock." Tit. i. 11, "Teaching things
which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake." 2 Pet.
. 3, "And through covetousness shall they with
feigned words make merchandise of you." Yet they
taught not false doctrine only, but seeming piety:
1 Tim. vi. 5, "Supposing that gain is godliness."
Neither came they in of themselves only, but invited
oftimes by a corrupt audience: 2 Tim. iv. 3, " For
the time will come, when they will not endure sound
doctrine, but after their own lusts they will heap to
themselves teachers, having itching ears:" and they
on the other side, as fast heaping to themselves disci-
ples, Acts xx. 30, doubtless had as itching palms:
2 Pet. ii. 15, Following the way of Balaam, the son of
Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness." Jude
11," They ran greedily after the errour of Balaam for
reward." Thus we see, that not only the excess of hire
in wealthiest times, but also the undue and vicious
taking or giving it, though but small or mean, as in
the primitive times, gave to hirelings occasion, though
not intended, yet sufficient to creep at first into the
church. Which argues also the difficulty, or rather the
impossibility, to remove them quite, unless every minis-
ter were, as St. Paul, contented to preach gratis; but
few such are to be found. As therefore we cannot
justly take away all hire in the church, because we
cannot otherwise quite remove all hirelings, so are we
not, for the impossibility of removing them all, to use
therefore no endeavour that fewest may come in; but
rather, in regard the evil, do what we can, will always
be incumbent and unavoidable, to use our utmost dili-
gence how it may
be least dangerous: which will be
likeliest effected, if we consider, first, what recompence
God hath ordained should be given to ministers of the
church; (for that a recompence ought to be given them,
may by them justly be received, our Saviour him-
self from the very light of reason and of equity hath
declared, Luke x. 7, "The labourer is worthy of his
hire;") next, by whom; and lastly, in what manner.
What recompence ought to be given to church-minis-
ters, God hath answerably ordained according to that
difference, which he hath manifestly put between those
his two great dispensations, the law and the gospel.
Under the law he gave them tithes ; under the gospel,

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come with those his fellow-guests, and eat his share | ligion before the law written, is not presently to be of them only at his house who provided them; and counted moral, when as so many things were then this not in regard of his ministerial office, but because done both ceremonial and judaically judicial, that we he had no part or inheritance in the land. Lastly, need not doubt to conclude all times before Christ the priests and Levites, a tribe, were of a far different more or less under the ceremonial law. To what end constitution from this of our ministers under the served else those altars and sacrifices, that distinction gospel in them were orders and degrees both by of clean and unclean entering into the ark, circumfamily, dignity, and office, mainly distinguished; cision, and the raising up of seed to the elder brother? the high priest, his brethren and his sons, to whom Gen. xxxviii. 8. If these things be not moral, though the Levites themselves paid tithes, and of the best, before the law, how are tithes, though in the example were eminently superiour, Numb. xviii. 28, 29. No of Abraham and Melchisedec? But this instance is so protestant, I suppose, will liken one of our minis- far from being the just ground of a law, that after all ters to a high priest, but rather to a common Levite. circumstances duly weighed both from Gen. xiv. and Unless then, to keep their tithes, they mean to bring Heb. vii, it will not be allowed them so much as an back again bishops, archbishops, and the whole gang example. Melchisedec, besides his priestly benedicof prelatry, to whom will they themselves pay tithes, as tion, brought with him bread and wine sufficient to reby that law it was a sin to them if they did not? ver. fresh Abraham and his whole army; incited to do so, 32. Certainly this must needs put them to a deep de- first, by the secret providence of God, intending him mur, while the desire of holding fast their tithes with- for a type of Christ and his priesthood; next, by his out sin may tempt them to bring back again bishops, due thankfulness and honour to Abraham, who had as the likeness of that hierarchy that should receive freed his borders of Salem from a potent enemy: Abratithes from them; and the desire to pay none, may ad- ham on the other side honours him with the tenth of vise them to keep out of the church all orders above all, that is to say, (for he took not sure his whole estate them. But if we have to do at present, as I suppose with him to that war,) of the spoils, Heb. vii. 4. Incited we have, with true reformed protestants, not with he also by the same secret providence, to signify as papists or prelates, it will not be denied that in the gos-grandfather of Levi, that the Levitical priesthood was pel there be but two ministerial degrees, presbyters and excelled by the priesthood of Christ. For the giving deacons; which if they contend to have any succession, of a tenth declared, it seems, in those countries and reference or conformity with those two degrees under times, him the greater who received it. That which the law, priests and Levites, it must needs be such next incited him, was partly his gratitude to requite the whereby our presbyters or ministers may be answer- present, partly his reverence to the person and his beneable to priests, and our deacons to Levites; by which diction to his person, as a king and priest, greater rule of proportion it will follow that we must pay our therefore than Abraham, who was a priest also, but not tithes to the deacons only, and they only to the minis- a king. And who unhired will be so hardy as to say, ters. But if it be truer yet, that the priesthood of Aaron that Abraham at any other time ever paid him tithes, typified a better reality, 1 Pet. ii. 5, signifying the either before or after; or had then, but for this accichristian true and “ holy priesthood to offer up spiritual dental meeting and obligement; or that else Melchisesacrifice;" it follows hence, that we are now justly dec had demanded or exacted them, or took them other. exempt from paying tithes to any who claim from wise than as the voluntary gift of Abraham? But our Aaron, since that priesthood is in us now real, which in ministers, though neither priests nor kings more than him was but a shadow. Seeing then by all this which any other Christian, greater in their own esteem than has been shewn, that the law of tithes is partly cere- Abraham and all his seed, for the verbal labour of a monial, as the work was for which they were given, seventh day's preachment, not bringing, like Melchisepartly judicial, not of common, but of particular right dec, bread or wine at their own cost, would not take to the tribe of Levi, nor to them alone, but to the owner only at the willing hand of liberality or gratitude, but also and his houshold, at the time of their offering, require and exact as due, the tenth, not of spoils, but and every three years to the stranger, the fatherless, of our whole estates and labours; nor once, but yearly. and the widow, their appointed sharers, and that they We then it seems, by the example of Abraham, must were a tribe of priests and deacons improperly com- pay tithes to these Melchisedecs: but what if the perpared to the constitution of our ministry; and the tithes son of Abraham can neither no way represent us, or given by that people to those deacons only; it follows will oblige the ministers to pay tithes no less than that our ministers at this day, being neither priests nor other men? Abraham had not only a priest in his loins, Levites, nor fitly answering to either of them, can have but was himself a priest, and gave tithes to Melchiseno just title or pretence to tithes, by any consequence dec either as grandfather of Levi, or as father of the drawn from the law of Moses. But they think they faithful. If as grandfather (though he understood it have yet a better plea in the example of Melchisedec, not) of Levi, he obliged not us, but Levi only, the inwho took tithes of Abraham ere the law was given; feriour priest, by that homage (as the apostle to the whence they would infer tithes to be of moral right. Hebrews clearly enough explains) to acknowledge the But they ought to know, or to remember, that not exgreater. And they who by Melchisedec claim from amples, but express commands, oblige our obedience to Abraham as Levi's grandfather, have none to seek their God or man: next, that whatsoever was done in retithes of but the Levites, where they can find them.